Again and Again; Lionel Messi . . .

Argentinean striker Lionel Messi receives today the Golden Boot in the Spanish city of Barcelona, an award for being the top scorer in the European leagues last season.

Messi, who plays for Barcelona FC, scored 34 goals in the last Spanish championship and went behind Ivory Coaster Didier Drogba (Chelsea) and Italian Antonio di Natale (Udinese), who scored 29 goals each one and Argentinean Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid) who scored 27.

Uruguayan striker Luis Sanchez, who plays for Ajax in Amsterdam, headed the list of European strikers with 35 goals, but German, French, English, Italian and Spanish leagues are considered superior regarding quality and that’s why goals are considered more difficult to score,so, Messi was chosen as the awarded.

The Argentinean star took Barcelona FC to the top to the Spanish League and got the most prestigious awards of the world: Golden Ball and FIFA World Player of the Year 2009.

Messi is the second Argentinean soccer player to get the Golden Boot after Hector Casimiro “Chirola” Yazalde.

Chirola, FIFA World Player of the Year 1970, played in Independiente in Argentina and later signed to Sporting Lisbon. In that Portuguese club he scored 46 goals in 30 matches in 1973-74 season.

Messi is also the second Barcelona FC player who gets this award. The first one was, Brazilian Ronaldo Nazario da Lima, who scored 34 goals in 1996-97 season, the only season he played for that team.

The award was created in 1967-68 season at the request of the Association of European sports magazines.

Golden Boot Winners:

Season Player Goals Team

1967-68 Eusebio (POR) 42 SL Benfica.

1968-69 Petar Jekov (BUL) 36 CSKA Sof